I went on a 7-day Eastern Mediterranean cruise for $1,500. I got to visit 4 countries, and I recommend it to travelers on a budget.

I booked the cruise with a friend around six months before we set sail. A month or so before the cruise began, we saw the prices had dropped. We contacted Norwegian, and they credited us the price difference to be used on our next trip.

It was a reassuring way to start the trip.

Greece is gorgeous, and it was a great place to start the cruise. We boarded at the main port in Piraeus, Athens. It's located just outside the city, and the ship was ready and waiting for us well before boarding was scheduled to start.

The boarding process took a little while, but it felt well-managed and clear. Norwegian employees were always around to direct us to the next check-in station before we were finally able to get on the ship.

Our ship left Athens on Sunday night, and we were in Turkey early Monday morning. We docked in Kuşadası, the gateway city for travelers who want to visit the Ephesus archaeological remains.

We only had less than half a day in the port, so I booked a ship excursion that took me to the ruins. Before heading back to the port, our tour stopped by a house some Christians believe is where the Virgin Mary stayed when she was in Ephesus. It wasn't too crowded, which made the experience more enjoyable.

Patmos was small but incredibly beautiful.

Some of the other cruise passengers and I walked to the cave where John of Patmos supposedly lived while on the island, and then we continued to the monastery on the top of the mountain.

It was a long walk that took us a couple of hours round trip, but the views were worth it.

By the time I got on the cruise, I'd already spent two weeks traveling around Western Europe. Because of this, visiting two ports on our first day left me feeling a little tired.

Fortunately, our second day on the ship was a sea day, and I was able to relax a little.

Since I haven't been on any other cruises, I can't fairly comment on how Norwegian Jade's entertainment stacks up to that on other ships. For me, though, the sea day was very peaceful. I was able to do some reading and enjoy the delicious food on board that came with the cost of my cabin.

Throughout the cruise, I liked sitting by the pool and watching the ship's evening show. For some, the ship might have felt a little boring. But to me, it was perfect.

First, we docked in Ashdod, a city located in the southern part of the country. From there, I took a cruise excursion to Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Like in Ephesus, it was rewarding to see cities and structures of historical and biblical renown.

The trip included a Middle Eastern-style lunch, and our tour guide was personable and knowledgeable.

The next morning we docked in Haifa, which is north of Tel Aviv. From there, I took a half-day cruise excursion to the Sea of Galilee and Nazareth.

There was so much to see in the country, and two days was definitely not enough time. If I ever have the chance to go back to Israel, I would like to spend a week or two exploring.

This seemed especially true in Israel. In my early 20s, I generally backpacked around countries or traveled on a tight budget. I was used to traveling by city bus or on foot, and I'm generally not a fan of big tour groups.

However, arranging our own travel from port cities to local attractions wasn't always convenient — or necessarily cheaper — than going on one of the cruise's excursions. I'm not sure if this is true in all countries, but it was a factor in Israel.

For example, the Sea of Galilee and Nazareth excursion was just over $100 per person, and I would've spent more money trying to coordinate transportation to and from these spots and the cruise ship on my own.

I didn't know much about Cyprus before we docked in Limassol, located on the southern coast of the island, for half a day.

A few of the other cruise passengers and I took the city bus into the center, did a little shopping, and then walked by the seafront.

Even though it didn't feel like there was a lot to do at this stop, the island was full of natural beauty. I especially enjoyed seeing the city's ruins.

I'm glad I was able to visit Oia's famed blue-domed buildings, but getting there was a hassle I wasn't expecting.

First, we had to take a tender (a smaller boat that takes passengers to shore) from our cruise ship to Thera's main port in the center of the island. From there, we took a ferry to Oia's port in the north. Then, we had to take a bus to the top of the island so we could see the architecture firsthand.

I wanted to love my experience in Santorini, but I didn't. If I ever go back to Greece, I'll skip Santorini and explore some of the country's less famous islands.

That Sunday, we were back in Athens. The disembarkation process was smooth, and I spent that afternoon enjoying the Acropolis, a beautiful ancient citadel.

Our cruise ship covered a lot of ground in a short period of time, which I appreciated. If I had tried to plan a trip that included each destination I saw, I'm confident it would have been way more expensive and time-intensive than the cruise.

Beyond that, the cruise took me to ports I probably never would have visited on my own. Places like Patmos and Cyprus weren't even on my travel radar, but I'm grateful I had the chance to experience them.

Although some of the shore excursions were more expensive than I planned for, this cruise still felt like a good choice financially.

It was an easy way to visit four countries, and I recommend it to travelers who want to get more bang for their buck. After all, the price of my cruise was almost the same cost of coach plane tickets from back home in Florida to just one of these places.

I was able to see a lot for a price that felt affordable to me, and I recommend it to other travelers who want to explore the world on a budget.